AWE = Art, Wellbeing and Edibles.
The Oxbow Hotel of Eau Claire, Wisconsin Fun, swank, and simply beautiful this hotel is a collaborative effort of a group of visionaries helping to keep the revitalization of downtown Eau Claire in full swing. We toured the place in March on our way back …
The word for the day is Mirabilia: miracles, marvels. Rob Brezney describes Mirabilia such: “events that inspire wonder, marvelous phenomena, small miracles, beguiling ephemera, inexplicable joys, changes that inspire quiet awe, eccentric enchantments, unplanned jubilations, sudden deliverance from boring evils” Here …
Sanskrit scriptures describe the universe as being birthed from an egg. The term Brahmanda is from two words: Brahm (ब्रह्म) = ‘cosmos’ or ‘expanding’, and ‘anda‘ (अण्ड) = ‘egg’. The Brahmanda Purana, an ancient Indian text, explains this fascinating concept in great detail. Good reading while you …
Black Bean paste is a Chinese condiment used in many a dish (hoisin sauce, stir fries, Asian BBQ, noodles), and a secret ingredient of those from Team Umami. It’s bold and tangy and can bump the flavor factor of your sauces manyfold. It can be really difficult to …
Can you name me another sport where a major race is cancelled yet thousands of people still show up? The 2017 American Birkebiener Ski Marathon, largest cross country ski race in North America and part of the reason we trek northward for the season, …
Completely inspired by Magnus Nilsson of Fäviken in Sweden, these crisps are simple with a most intriguing look. In his cookbook Fäviken, Magnus explains that he started with thicker versions using more types of seeds, then evolved the crisp towards thinner version using only flax. His cookbook photo …
Tis the season of magical windows… It’s been quite a year, full of many blessings and challenges. We said farewell to what seemed like an inordinate number of our artists in the past twelve months–some of my main influences like David Bowie, Prince and Leonard …
“One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it.” . -Clarissa Pinkola …
Last spring we visited Mike’s Meat Market in Eau Claire, Wisconsin for some of their legendary bacon and spent time admiring their mighty cleaver collection. Maybe a bit gruesome if you’re not a chef…but you have to admit they tell a story of how we …
Once in a while during my occasional extrovert phases I would love my hair to be this color of deep, rich, delicious, Carmine red. I looked up the many shades of red to find the best name for this particular color of paprika and Carmine from the aluminium salt …
Every time my friend Dennis Larson hosts his Symra evening and dinner he chooses a different Scandinavian country or culture. Other years have highlighted Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland, the Sámi, the Vikings, the Faroe Islands and many more. This year spilled into the northern Baltic country of Estonia …
We recently spent a number of days at the Solarium Hostel in Ft. Collins, Colorado. A tropical indoor commons, large shared kitchen, yoga in the basement, a stream and bike path in their back yard…this was a great place to hang out and meet …
A few of my father’s photos from when he was learning the craft in the 1980’s. The second picture is one of my favorites. He was practicing moving the camera to match the subject so the background would be blurred…and it’s one …
Tulsi, India’s Queen of Herbs, revered for centuries as a sacred plant and used both medicinally and in worship, is thriving right here in my garden. Native to India it is traditionally grown in pots in every Indian home and I am just beginning …
These little veggies were served at the Seed Savers Conference dinner and have now been in my refrigerator for over two weeks….and they still look and taste fantastic! Once again I set myself up for the situation where I didn’t know exactly what I …
Friends! It’s August and many people in our neck of the woods are on their vacation trips before school begins. Instead of recipes this week I say we take this time to enjoy some pictures and a poem recently shared with me by a …
Another salad from Pascale Beale who I had the pleasure of meeting and experiencing her cooking class last fall. This seemed like a good salad for the season as plums are beginning to roll in and at least some greens are holding their own. …
All rice is not equal. I have had creamy rice before, but this was another branch in the tree of amazing grains. People from Anson Mills in South Carolina were at the Seed Savers Exchange Annual Conference last weekend, and beforehand they offered to mail …
Last weekend we ventured up to the old haunts of Minneapolis to help my dear friend Julie JAO with an evening of speed painting performance in her studio. Some of you may have seen her speed painting the signature stick figures but now she’s moved …
